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Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 236 is inarguably the single most shocking chapter in the history of this series. Whatever fans expected to read after the end of Gojo and Sukuna’s battle, this was on no one’s radar. Mangaka Gege Akutami not only subverted expectations but completely changed the topography of the series as a whole.
In the previous chapter, Gojo cast a Reversal: Red after defeating Agito. It collided with the already existing Lapse: Blue and turned into Hollow: Purple. Despite Mahoraga’s efforts, the attack ripped through Shinjuku and grievously injured Sukuna. Gojo emerged relatively unharmed and was crowned the winner by Kusakabe. Meanwhile, Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 236 is titled Go South.
Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 236 shows Kashimo entering the fight after Mahoraga helps Sukuna kill Gojo
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Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 236 began with Geto greeting Gojo in what appeared to be a waiting room. Gojo lamented that after all he said about Jujutsu Sorcerers dying alone, he was proven wrong. He also regretted never telling Megumi about Toji but reminded himself that he had left that responsibility to Shoko.
When Geto asked about his fight with Sukuna, Gojo replied that he was satisfied with the battle as he had given it his all. However, he felt sad for the King of Curses because he felt that Sukuna couldn’t go all out during the fight. In any case, he was glad to have been killed by a stronger sorcerer.
Nanami and Haibara appeared, and Gojo asked them about their deaths. Nanami told them that Mei Mei once told him to go north to rediscover himself and to go south to return to his true self. Nanami, assisted by Haibara, moved south upon his death. Gojo laughed about it and greeted Yaga, who also appeared. Kuroi, Riko, and Toji also appeared in the in-between realm.
Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 236 then cuts to the real world, where Sukuna revealed that Mahoraga adapts to an attack gradually, and the speed of adaptation is accelerated when it is attacked multiple times. By the time it finished adapting to Infinity, it had tailored its Cursed Energy itself to counter Gojo’s.
When Mahoraga previously used a Slash, it cut the world and anything that existed within that world. It was then revealed that Gojo was cut in half vertically, with his lower body still standing and his upper body on the ground. Sukuna conceded that Gojo was a fierce opponent and prepared for his next battle. It was revealed that as soon as Gojo died, Hajime Kashimo appeared on the battlefield.
Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 236 Analysis
Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 236 mainly raises four questions, a detailed discussion of which will be linked at the end of this article.
Firstly, when did Mahoraga kill Gojo? The answer to this happens to be in chapter 234, either when Gojo loses his arm or right before it. The more pressing issue would be why it took so long to take effect, and the answer to that should be provided in the coming chapters.
Secondly, was Mahoraga killed? Mahoraga’s wheel was destroyed in the previous chapter, and he hasn’t appeared in this one. Megumi may likely have lost his strongest Shikigami.
Third, is there a chance of Gojo’s revival? Akutami has filled the afterlife scene with symbolism after symbolism, so a chance of Gojo’s reincarnation remains. His Cursed Techniques themselves would definitely make a reappearance. Whether Gojo can be healed is a trickier question.
Akutami is not in the habit of resuscitating dead characters unless it's Yuji Itadori. In particular, Gojo has never been fortunate enough to be given the benefit of the doubt. However, since Shoko is on his side and his head wasn't shot off, the chance of his revival cannot be completely discarded.
Lastly, who will defeat Sukuna, and by extension Kenjaku, now? Not many readers have put any stock in Kashimo, and by Kenjaku’s own admission, Yuta is no Gojo. However, while individually these characters cannot measure up to Gojo, the man himself believes that they can surpass him eventually.
Two key factors here are Megumi’s rescue and Yuji’s true abilities. If Megumi can come back, then his technique will play a big role in defeating Kenjaku, but that depends on how many Shikigami he has left. Akutami did hint that Yuji can switch bodies, but has neglected to elaborate upon it further. If that technique comes into play, then the duo would pose a significant threat to Kenjaku and Sukuna.
Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 236 Review
Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 236 has garnered mixed responses. Some fans understand the narrative importance of this chapter and the thematic necessity of Gojo’s death. The other half, however, more justifiably believes that Akutami was particularly sadistic in his hatred of Gojo and Gojo fans when he timed Gojo’s death for the same week when the anime seals the character off.
Both takes are, regrettably, correct. Gojo’s death was abrupt, but not without preamble or foreshadowing. Long ago, during the Shibuya Arc, a flashback revealed that Gojo believed the only technique that could kill him, which has killed a Six Eyes and Limitless user in the past, in fact, is Megumi’s.
It is unclear why Sukuna wanted Megumi’s Technique, but obtaining Mahoraga to defeat Gojo might have been one of the key motivations. Despite having the upper hand throughout the fight, Gojo was outclassed quite thoroughly. And therein lies Akutami’s brilliance.
While throughout the battle readers kept expecting something to go wrong for Gojo, he continued to emerge victorious. In the previous chapter, he reached what seemed to be the unequivocal finish line and was crowned the undisputed champion. It made many readers frown, thinking that the fight, which was to be the greatest battle in the series’ history, ended with such a one-sided victory.
Sukuna, even with Megumi’s technique, lost multiple Shikigami, his hand, and one eye, and ended up severely injured while Gojo walked away unscathed.
Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 236, therefore, comes not just as a shock but as a deliberate attack on this sense of relief that many fans felt. It's played up for shock value, but it also shows how, during the fight, we never got to see Sukuna's point of view in great detail.
The sporadic comments were meant to act as hints, and they did, only the fans were too late to pick them up. From a narrative perspective, Gojo’s death is a necessity for the plot to move forward. If Gojo were to defeat Sukuna, the other strongest character in the narrative, then Kenjaku would pose no challenge to him, and the series would be over at that moment.
Final thoughts
On the other hand, this outcome opens up many horizons for the story to move in. While Akutami still has to stick the landing, the take-off was quite well constructed. In a more permanent sense, this has the same impact as sealing Gojo.
Gojo needed to lose this battle for the plot to move forward, but whether he needed to die entirely, or more specifically, die such a sudden and gruesome death, is the crux of the matter. The answer would be a definitive no. Gojo’s death might have been demanded by the plot, but the manner of his death and how it was timed depended entirely on the mangaka.
It cannot be denied that Akutami timed Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 236 to make the week difficult for Gojo fans. The author is notorious for his hatred of Satoru and shows it yet again. However, no one can accuse Akutami of not doing justice to the character.
Satoru Gojo remains one of the best-written characters in the series and will continue to be so regardless of whether or not he comes back in the next chapter.
Be sure to keep up with more anime news and manga updates as 2023 progresses. Relevant links:
How did Gojo die in Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 236?
Can Gojo survive after Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 236?
Fan reception to Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 236
Does Kashimo have a chance against Sukuna?
